and Emma to safety after a blaze broke out at their house on Bryn Glas in Bryntirion.

The family, pictured right, were just sitting down to eat dinner when they were alerted to the inferno in an upstairs bedroom by a fire alarm.

After discovering the fire, Callum – helped by next-door neighbour Tony Garrod, who rushed to help after hearing the commotion – managed to get his mum and nine-year-old sisters out of the house before containing the blaze and calling the fire service.

He even managed to contain the blaze by dousing the flames with water before firefighters could arrive.

His mum Rebecca, 33, told the Gazette: “To be honest, I was quite hysterical.

“Callum took over – he got everybody out, called the fire brigade and helped pull me out – if he had not been there, I don’t know what would have happened.

“He took over and he was quite heroic.”

Members of the boy’s family have hailed his speedy action as helping to prevent a tragedy.

“If it wasn’t for them the fire wouldn’t have been contained,” said Rebecca. “We could have been killed – it could have been a lot worse.”

Both Callum and Tony suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation – but Callum is modest about his actions.

“By the time I got out, I couldn’t see, my eyes were watering and I couldn’t breathe,” he said.

“I reckon anyone would have done the same, to make sure their family is safe.

“I just wanted to make sure everyone was safe and Christmas was not going to be ruined.”

The fire, which was believed to have been started by a candle, caused extensive smoke damage to upstairs rooms.

Although the family escaped with their lives, all of their Christmas presents were destroyed.

“There was one room that is completely gone,” said Rebecca.

“I have lost all my bedroom furniture, all my wardrobes and clothes.

“There must have been about £1,000 of Christmas presents as well.

“Everything has just been lost.

“I have been in a daze really – it’s like it has not really been happening.”

Despite the ordeal, Rebecca has been left humbled by offers of help support and the community response to their plight.

The family have received donations of money, clothes, food – and even a skip to help with the clean-up.

“People have been amazing,” she said.

“The local community have given everything we needed.

“I also wanted to thank the emergency services that responded because they were amazing.”

A spokesman for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said two crews were sent from Bridgend station at 5.34pm.

He said the blaze, which was contained to a bedroom, was eventually extinguished by firefighters.